When preschool children write letters or numbers backwards

If your child is writing an "S" backwards, numbers backwards, it's totally okay.
I know you want to correct them, but it's how correct them that's important. You obviously want to show them the correct way that the letter or number is written, however, you never want to say that they did it wrong or it should look like this. You may want to say, "I see you wrote an 'S', look how mommy writes an 'S'." Then you do the "S" correctly. Then see that the child has the ability to know the difference between the two.
They are going to eventually get there, you just have to encourage them. Never, ever tell them that they did it wrong.

Renae Plant

Preschooler Director

Australian native Renae Plant saved Los Angeles-based Camelot Preschool on February 14, 2008 along with a handful of parents who believed that Camelot should remain a community preschool. Over the years, Camelot has flourished under her leadership as owner/director. Renae improved the campus with eco-friendly bamboo floors, synthetic grass, themed sand castle and play structures. Her biggest accomplishment was turning a run-down shed, in record time, into an eco-friendly, open plan classroom with natural skylights and a special indoor/outdoor feel. Most recently she planned and added a Kindergarten Program to compliment the school and continues to implement new exciting parent involvement programs as well as Music, Spanish, Yoga and Sign Language. She oversees the day-to-day running of Camelot as well as juggling her hubby Livinio and three kids, Ilan, Mateo and Deklan, (all of whom attended Camelot) and her bump maternity clothing line.

If your child is writing an "S" backwards, numbers backwards, it's totally okay.
I know you want to correct them, but it's how correct them that's important. You obviously want to show them the correct way that the letter or number is written, however, you never want to say that they did it wrong or it should look like this. You may want to say, "I see you wrote an 'S', look how mommy writes an 'S'." Then you do the "S" correctly. Then see that the child has the ability to know the difference between the two.
They are going to eventually get there, you just have to encourage them. Never, ever tell them that they did it wrong.